Colorado Rapids / MLS

Dreaded defender out to prove himself

"You do wash them, you just don't comb them"

The Rapids' Kyle Beckerman will play for the U.S. national team at the Copa America tournament in Venezuela,
which begins today. The U.S. plays its first game on Thursday against Argentina. (Post / Brian Brainerd)

Commerce City - Kyle Beckerman skateboards for fun and drives a luxury SUV to work.

He wears his hair in the dreadlocks he has been growing for more than two years while he has evolved into one of the best defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer.

This week, he will make his first appearance of consequence for the U.S. national team - he played a few minutes in a friendly against Denmark a few months ago - when the U.S. begins play in the Copa America tournament in Venezuela. It's not only a chance for him to obtain valuable international experience, it's an opportunity for him to impress new national team coach Bob Bradley as the next World Cup team begins to take form.

"It's exciting," Beckerman said. "It's an honor to play in this tournament. It's huge. All the other countries are bringing their top players."

Now about those dreadlocks ...

"You do wash them, you just don't comb them," Beckerman said. "I've always been a Dread. Before I had dreadlocks, I was a Dread. And if I cut them, I'll still be a Dread. I get called a hippie every away game. I'm like, you don't know what kind of music I listen to."

For the record, it would be reggae, hip-hop and Tom Petty.

A native of Maryland, Beckerman began his MLS career with the Miami Fusion in 2000 when he was 18. He joined the Rapids in 2002 after the Fusion folded.

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He had a breakout season offensively last season, scoring seven goals, but Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo sees him as a defensive midfielder whose job is to destroy opposition attacks and set up his teammates.

Former Rapids and national team star Marcelo Balboa said Beckerman, teammate Pablo Mastroeni and Houston's Ricardo Clark are the three best defensive midfielders in the MLS.

"He fights for everything and never gives up," Balboa said. "He's like a mini-Pablo."

If one play could encapsulate Beckerman's value in the role Clavijo wants him to accept, it would be a game-winning play he started in New York on May 13. Beckerman won the ball with a hard slide tackle at midfield, popped back up and quickly played the ball to the left wing in front of Herculez Gomez. Gomez drew two defenders and slid the ball to Nico Hernandez for the game's only goal.

Clavijo says Beckerman, who regularly stays after practice to work, is the most trainable player on the team. Clavijo wants Beckerman to recognize that his greatest value to the Rapids and the national team is the defensive midfielder role.

"I need him to be the enforcer, recovering balls and making the pass for someone else to score," Clavijo said. "I think that's going to make or break his career, how quick he identifies where he is more valuable."

Beckerman chafes a little in that role, not because he craves the glory of being a scorer but because he wants to make things happen for the team.

"We're not scoring goals, so I don't see why I shouldn't go (forward)," Beckerman said. "I understand, sometimes he wants me to stay back more. It's just in me to want to go forward. I don't want to sit back in tie games, or lose games we can win, when I feel I can do more."

Beckerman is a scrappy player who plays with attitude. He pesters referees and loves to taunt spectators on the road.

"I try to stick up for my teammates, my brothers," Beckerman said.

Kyle Beckerman (Post / Karl Gehring)

"If somebody on the other team fouls one of my teammates tough or hard, I'm going to take that into account and I'm going to make sure they feel something. If somebody starts talking smack to one of my teammates, I'm going to get in there and talk smack to that dude."

Mastroeni played in the past two World Cups, but he'll be 33 for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Beckerman and Clark might be auditioning to inherit Mastroeni's spot, but Beckerman hopes he can play with Mastroeni on the national team.

"We've never had a chance to play on the national team together, but we've won a lot of games together in Colorado," Beckerman said. "He's a young 30. He's 25 at heart. Who knows? He could play until he's 40."

Mastroeni and Clark played for the national team in the Gold Cup tournament, which concluded Sunday with a 2-1 victory over Mexico. Mastroeni now returns to the Rapids as Beckerman goes to Venezuela. Clark will also be there.

Beckerman wants to show Bradley that the guy with dreadlocks deserves to be a fixture on the national team.

"Hopefully, if he's going to bring me along, I'm going to be able to show him some things I can do and he'll get a little better idea what type of player I am, that he can trust me," Beckerman said. "Just picking me for the tournament is showing trust in me right there, so I'll have some confidence going in."

Kyle Beckerman

Born: April 23, 1982, in Crofton, Md.

High school: Arundel in Gambrills, Md. (2000)

MLS debut: Signed by the

Miami Fusion in 2000 when he was 18

Acquired: Selected by the Rapids in the 2002 MLS dispersal draft when the Fusion folded

International experience: Earned his first cap against Denmark in January. ... Played with the under-23 national team in the 2004 pre-Olympic qualifying tournament. ... Participated in under-20 training camp in 2001. ... Finished under-17 career with 40 appearances and 15 goals. ... Started 36 of his 40 full international appearances for the U-17s. ... Ranked second in scoring (10 goals, six assists) for the U-17s in full international competition during 1999, finishing one point behind teammate Landon Donovan.

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